The Dirty Dozen-The Foods That Are Best To Purchase Organic

We eat some serious fruits and vegetables around our house.  They are served at every breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack.  I try to purchase as much as possible from the farmer's market.  However, I still find myself visiting the grocery store a few times a week. 

The grocery store is often limited in organic foods.  I was glad to find this 2011 Dirty Dozen list to reference.  The EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce identifies the fruits and vegetables that contain the most contamination from pesticide residues.  Now I have a quick reference guide on which foods to skip if organic is unavailable and which foods I can save a bit of money on and purchase conventional. 

I was shocked to see apples topped the dirty dozen list.  Today I priced organic apples and there was NO price difference between most of the apple varieties.  

Quick note: I always purchase organic corn as I am trying to stay away from GMOs and corn is a huge GMO crop.

EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Dirty Dozen

Buy these organic

1

Apples

2

Celery

3

Strawberries

4

Peaches

5

Spinach

6

Nectarines
– imported

7

Grapes – imported

8

Sweet bell peppers

9

Potatoes

10

Blueberries
– domestic

11

Lettuce

12

Kale/collard greens

Clean 15

Lowest in Pesticide

1

Onions

2

Sweet Corn

3

Pineapples

4

Avocado

5

Asparagus

6

Sweet peas

7

Mangoes

8

Eggplant

9

Cantaloupe
- domestic

10

Kiwi

11

Cabbage

12

Watermelon

13

Sweet potatoes

14

Grapefruit

15

Mushrooms